MEAT STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1657, 25 January 1913, Page 6

MEAT STRIKE.

V COMPANIES OFFER REJECTED.

STRIKE. IN BEING.

LETTERS BY SIR GEORGE CLIFFORD.

ON PROFFERED AID,

The time within whioh the offer of the freezing companies to tho slaughtermen of an increase of 2», 6d. in the killins rate could bo accepted by the slaughtermen's unions throughout New . Zealand expired yesterday, and the unions did not accept. It was not generally expocted that thoy would do so. : Now thing 9 are . exactly: as they, were bofore the offer was made; . Tnat is' to say 1 the striko is definitely declared,; and no steps are being taken .by the unions ta-settle It, "nor-..by .the .companies, to get the works running. V' : ; K'; .. Yesterday Sir George Clifford, as chairirian of the \ confcrence 'of meat ■ freezing. oompanies, which recently mot, in Wellington, dispatched a letter to Mr. Fi,H. ■Labatt, secretary of . the Canterbury Sheepownera*.Association, in reply to one

from: that* body covering. certain resolu-

tions passed ; at a meeting held on Janu-, ■■■<■ ory 21. The telegraphed Pres3 Association ■ report. attributed - the . resolution", to the North Canterbury Provincial Executive of the Now Zealand Farmers' Union.- - . --"".Following is tho text of the resolution:.. . ''(I) That ' we, ' the 1 ■ North Canterbury : ' '.Provincial: Executive, : ; of:'the New : Zealand : ( Farmor3' ' TJnion, -- recom r mend that ' the IV:;, frMzing'\o6mpanies try_ -to ■ settle i the; disi: pnto "tvith tho Slaughtermen's.Unioa : by ;

■ means of mutually appointed arbitrators;

(2) that if: the'above course fails, /the' . , freezing companies should, try to settle the matter -with those members of the Slaughtermen's , Union! t who'- 1 uphold the principle of. arbitration j- (8) , that,- if ' the body .'of the' .Slaughtermen's Union; - ■ Tefuses to arbitrate, then we,,aa a Farm-: - ■ ers'. Union, for' the-protectioniof our. own j '.--V; occupation; ,ask ! :, the freezing oonipanies' to allow, us to man; the boards with free labour." Sir George Clifford's Reply to Canterbury Resolution. • - ; " To these resolutions Sir! George Clif(ford makes; the,'following,reply:— '.v - ---. "In reply to youts of-21st instant, I. i. - can assure you that the freezing com- ; ; panics of' New; Zealand gladly unite in:.-'. " ncccding ?to':your- recommendation. to , solve all differoncss. withi their slaughtermen by Teferenco to: arbitrators of . ' ' independence. . Tyhether-.'muttP : ' . - ally; appointed or. otherwise. I may ; : recall! to'you that; the oompanies have always boon ready to adjust these dif- ; < ferences by the legal methods provided by statute or by any other fair 6ystem • • of arbitration.. I .would , point out, .;; however, .that' an .'agreement '.-to arbi- u . trato must contain provision for the enforcement , of !the," consequent ;award .: for a definite period.* • .. .. - ; ■! ; "I cordially concur,with you in:the > expression of -your desire -that' the ■ \'i'. . '.companies, if treasonable-proposal's are continuously rejected, > should co-.oper- > ato with the members of the Slau(|h- v - termen'B Union who uphold the prin- ; ciple.of'arbitration,-by which ; a safe--''-. •••••• guard is- provided against. deplorable disturbances of - a business in the per-. . ; ; manent stability of which . producers < and workmen are alike so deeply inter-. , estod. "I confidently believe that a clear sense on tho part of- the majority of ! slaughtermen,''.of :,tKeir inter-,'; .. csts and those Of ,'their 'fellow-workers . -i will.rendor your thought- ; i' ; ful offer, of.manual: assistance, which,. •> however, is-gratefully . acknowledged as a testimony/of your.recognition, of , tho moderato and .liberal /attitude of ' tho freezing companies."

i Sir George Clifford to/Wellington : . Farmers.,

Sir-George Clifford has addressed another lettqr ; to the secretary i.of .the Wellington Provincial Executive 'of.', tho. Farmers' ',K„ 1 . Union, in, Acknowledgment of resolutions- .,; passed at a. meeting held in Palmerston ;'. . '.. on January 20. V The text of' the resolu- ; ■ tion . has not been published, but the ■ following was tho telegraphed report of v-;. occurred '- at r " ; ; th©-meeting:-—"The ' -.'question of tho slaughtermen's demands' r, v.,', . : was discussed,. and : the serious effect. that p. ~.,'.'--.the closing -down of tho freezing works: < - would liavo on the ; farming industry « • tlironghont the Dominion- was-referred ,to; r 1 Tho opinions expressed by .the representa-l-V V'., fives : of : the, various districts. were.' that

?;>. f ; ; f ;the : farmers were quite in favour'of siipfreezing companies as to.the. {[■ ; "rate 'offered. (275.\6d. .per. 100), and ialao i. , as to the -apprentice, clause. ; .Ifc ' was' -. , unanimously decided to approve the action l; ,'- /"] ;- of the freezing companies,'and that copies [.v -' i ■ of-.tye resolution bo ' toYtty' chnlrtxnr': 1 of tho-New Zealand Freezing Companies', V- 'Associatioii,!.:and to the-chairman of this •{: " - Association.". ' - ■• , i -. |v -'Sir George .Clifford's reply was' as fol.lows It- : V : -vv'., '■ fvV; --."I have to'thank you- 1 for forward-' •, ... ing to me the -resolution 1 , passed • at , ' ■ your meeting, held on January. 20, ap-. "■ proviiig of the action of :the, freezing ~ [:'VV:-. ; ycompanies in 7connection with'.the , i. ■-. / slaughtermen's demands. ' - f ' . "It is satisfactory to note, that tho ?•' : i general 'feeling of'your members, was ;■ !... , . that'the companies .had offered very Mv,-:,:"-liberal; terms. It was their intention jf.i.i.;''./ to offer terms as liberal.as':.was con- ' 'sbtent-with ,their due performance off. ... tho duties which, they.. owe to the. . ' ; great industry of which they form an ' fv''-:',: -integral part,'and ..to, , the-'..workers, i, - ;. ' assistance, they, fully ' recognise... V,' The,rejection. of such, terms is almost : ! -.. Inconceivable, but if such an , event .should occur, it is gratifying to know' j! '; ! that the-'companics will have tho sup- . . .jA)i;t of your union." ■ ; , ' RE WORK IN AUSTRALIA. ; OPINION, tAn interesting statement was mado by ; - Mr. J. JI. Watson, of Invercargill, a . re-, . .. pre.sentativo oil, Messrs. Bortlnvick and Sons, - Ltd.,'to a "Southland News" . rcr. i l ':;.-.'.': porter on conditions of rates, of |: , pay in Australia:--, !"Well, from my experience," said- Mr. | ~: Wnfson, "I ."would rather kill in New Zealand'at a'certain fixedwage than kill i;' : • nt the same wage.in Australia." He gave' jV; (is .an explanation 'the.fact that the sheep.' '' In Ausraalia were-very. much harder to, : : dress, owing- to burr and. grass seed. This '. :l k'ttijr was very:«oro on the hands, and [..! ' . consequently the:liibour entailed wns'wcll I■ ~ -,wort!» at' least an' extra 2sV Cd. He gave' i : ; -onother. reason .'why'- sheep were 1 harder l",-: to dress.. "The works in Australia," lie said, "are very much further Sawnv from ' 1 . the shcop station's,'.being nearly all situf.- nted near the coast, and therefore by the , . , timb the sheep reach the works tliev have lost their bloom and their skins' become ?:■■■■ hard and are consequently more difficult !: -to-ifork " Tht first ; lot of lambs Mr.'Wat®on' purchased in Victoria this season had' ' ,to bo railed 450 miles to tho works. "Yes," p , , , -.ho said, "it is harder' work killing sheep r / . in, Australia than .in New Zealand." Tho h/. ;«!.• wages paid at the present time are 275. ! Od. per ICO, but;in Sydney ho knew of jc; works paying 303. Of course, to the latter raM,-tlw men: were working j; ,: • under conditions stipulating a, minimum -and a mpximnm output. This had been ;■ .. the. resiilt of-troublo in Sydney' with em- - 'ployors. ; ■ ;■ !■: ■ ■ ! : WAINGAWA WORKS. . (By, TelegTeph.—Special Correspondent.) ' Masterton, January 2-1. It is stated on what appears to be good t o'ltliorit.v that a conference b.etweqft repreventatives of the .Wellington 'Farmers' Mint Company and tho local branch of t. ; : the SI aiightormen's Union will be held on I ~ . Saturday, morning. .-Thero appears to bo i:' : every prospect of''a settlement, of tho 1-;. ('.!? pate, nsjthe.meu do not seem 'disposed ,/ , '.o pr-Dss their 'demand in regardto tho - q'-itil-.i'T. iif learners. A definite an- ; . of the re.sult of tho conferMice will probnblv "be mado before MonL, - ■ day/' If lio scttle'moiit is arrived at. the 5 , ' mill will cc-aso work oil January 31.